Xiaomi Mi A2 Vs Mi A1: Comparison of the two Android One phones

Xiaomi Mi A2 Android One Smartphone have finally launch in India. Mi A2 is the successor to last year’s Mi A1, which was the company’s first Android One device. Xiaomi’s second outing with Android One is very different. And some of the aspects you may like and some you may not. Let’s take a look at the new Xiaomi Mi A2 and how it fares with Mi A1, and decide whether you should upgrade.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Vs Mi A1: Camera

While Xiaomi Mi A1 offered one of the best camera experiences at its time, Mi A2 raises the level of the game by offering a combination of 12MP + 20MP dual rear camera with f/1.75 aperture, Lens switching, and AI portraits. The predecessor came with 12MP+12MP dual rear camera with f/2.2 and f/2.6 aperture. Based on our experience, Xiaomi Mi A2 delivers pretty impressive results, even in low-light conditions. From bokeh modes to casual photography, the experience is top-notch.

There’s also an improvement in the selfie department. Xiaomi Mi A1 came with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera whereas Xiaomi Mi A2 offers 20 megapixel sensors for the same. Apart from the resolution bump, the Mi A2 has LED flash and AI portrait modes.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Vs Mi A1: Processing Hardware and Memory

There has been a significant bump in terms of processing hardware. Powering the Mi A2 is a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core SoC paired with Adreno 512 GPU for graphics. The CPU offers a dedicated AI engine, Spectra ISP for improved photo and video quality.

It sports 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage but misses on storage expansion with the help of a microSD slot. The Mi A1 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC with Adreno 506 GPU. It offers 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and supports storage expansion up to 128GB. Xiaomi Mi A2 will also come with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage in the future.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Vs Mi A1: Software and Battery

Both the Xiaomi Mi A2 and Mi A1 fall under Google’s Android One initiative that ensures stock Android OS and updates in a timely manner. Xiaomi Mi A2 runs a stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi and Google have said the Mi A2 will be among the select few phones out there to receive Android P by the end of the year. The Mi A1 also runs stock Android Oreo operating system. Xiaomi Mi A2 packs a 3,010mAh battery under the hood. Xiaomi Mi A1, on the other hand, is powered by a 3,080mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Vs Mi A1: Price

Xiaomi Mi A2 is more expensive than Mi A1 was at the time of the launch. Xiaomi Mi A2 price hovers above Rs 16,000 whereas Mi A1 stayed within Rs 15,000 threshold. Xiaomi Mi A1 Price in India 13,999 and as compare to Mi A2 Price in India 16,999. Mi A2 price is very costly compare to Mi A1.

Deal breakers

Xiaomi’s effort to include Industrial Design comes with a big sacrifice. The Xiaomi Mi A2 doesn’t come with 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead, it is making up with a bundled (3.5mm to USB Type-C) connector and a fast-charging capable USB Type-C port.

We think it’s a big deal breaker for those who don’t want the hassle of carrying a connector to use the audio or invest in a Bluetooth headphone. While we welcome the inclusion of fast charging, sacrificing the 3.5mm headphone jack is pretty inconvenient. We’ve seen enough brands try to force the trend, but 3.5mm headphone jack shouldn’t go away unless there’s a complete ecosystem for wireless audio.

Another unpopular move, in our opinion, is the removal of microSD card. Xiaomi Mi A1 came with 64GB built-in storage and supported expandable 128GB via a microSD card. It had a hybrid SIM slot which essentially means you can use either one SIM and one microSD or two SIMs. At a time when brands are giving all options to users with two SIM slots plus microSD, Xiaomi Mi A2 just quietly does away with that and offers no microSD. 64GB is more than enough for most of users. But a microSD slot just gave more choice to users.

Conclusion

Xiaomi Mi A2 promises a significant improvement in terms of camera and overall design. But on other aspects like performance, upgrades are pretty much incremental. If you’re a Mi A1 user, the second-gen Android One from Xiaomi may not be a very appealing proposition, unless you are seeking better camera experience. As said earlier, Mi A2 isn’t without compromises. So, if you don’t mind a phone without 3.5mm headphone jack, Mi A2 could be for you.

Mr. Rakesh has spent 3+ years serving as the Digital marketing professional. His areas of expertise in online marketing are SEO, ASO and PPC. He applies smart marketing techniques to improve web or app and raise conversion rate.